§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 17 January 2000,Official Report, column 334W, on National Insurance staff, if he will list the types of automatic security check that prompt a management check. [113665]
811W
§ Mr. RookerThe types of security features which trigger management checks are
where there is an excessive time between receiving access powers and the issue of a new National Insurance Number (NINO);where a NINO is issued and no record of the issuer is held on the central database;the audit trail and analysis (ATAS) system which detects when there is any unusual activity e.g. a larger than normal volume of NINOs issued.
§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 17 January 2000,Official Report, column 334W, on National Insurance staff, by what criteria the number of staff able to allocate new numbers were reduced. [113664]
§ Mr. RookerThe number of staff who had National Insurance number allocation powers were reduced by critically reviewing the existing users and ensuring only those with essential business need were allowed to keep National Insurance number allocation powers, and restricting to a single group of specialists the facility to allocate National Insurance numbers.
Previously staff had various levels of access to the Departmental Central Index, each of which allowed them to carry out a range of activities on Departmental Central Index, such as viewing data, or allocating National Insurance numbers. The number of access levels providing the facility to allocate National Insurance numbers has been reduced, so that the power is not routinely given to staff who do not need it.